Frozen Emotions: The Story Behind the “Heart Remains” Installation in Vlora

In May 2025, the Lungomare of Vlora became the stage for a silent, powerful transformation. Passersby found themselves pausing before a series of crystalline blocks placed within the urban landscape. Inside each one, suspended in a state of icy stillness, was a life-sized anatomical heart.

This was “Heart Remains,” a public intervention by Donald Veshaj that turned the city into a living gallery.

The Concept: Melting the Distance

The heart is the ultimate symbol of human life, yet in our modern, fast-paced world, it is often something we shield or “freeze” to protect ourselves from a cold reality. Donald’s installation took this metaphor and made it physical.

By placing these hearts in public spaces, the work acted as a mirror for the community. As the Mediterranean sun beat down on the ice, the installation began its slow, inevitable change. The melting process was not just a chemical reaction; it was a performance of vulnerability.

Why Ice?

Ice represents a state of suspension—a moment frozen in time. In Donald’s practice, “suspended time” is a recurring theme. By using a temporary material, he highlights the fragility of our emotions.

• The Freeze: Represents the barriers we build, the isolation of the modern individual, and the emotional “coldness” of urban life.
• The Melt: Represents the release of feelings, the courage to be open, and the restoration of empathy.

As the ice dissolved and the water ran across the pavement, the hearts were finally “released,” symbolizing the possibility of human connection once the barriers are gone.

A Homecoming in Vlora

For Donald, choosing Vlora as the site for this installation was deeply personal. Returning to his roots to place such a raw, symbolic work along the coast allowed for a unique dialogue with the public.

“It was a simple gesture,” Donald reflects. “An invitation to stop, even for a second, and watch something melt. In that stillness, people start to talk to each other again.”

From Installation to Print

The themes explored in “Heart Remains” the anatomical heart as a symbol of both strength and fragility are the same threads that pull through his Mezzotint and Drypoint series. Whether frozen in ice or etched into a copper plate, the heart remains the central witness in Donald’s artistic universe.

Did you witness the installation in Vlora? The dialogue continues in the studio. Explore how these themes of endurance and vulnerability evolved into the “Heart as a Shield” print series.

[View the Gallery] | [Follow the Journey on Instagram]